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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. LIDBAGK RAILWAY GATE.

No. 349,597. Patented Sept. 21, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. LIDBAOK.

RAILWAY GATE. V

No. 349,597. Patented Sept.21, 1886.

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UNITED V STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN A. LIDBAOK, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. J.

I GERRISH, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,597. dated September 21, 1886.

Application filed March 1886. Serial No. 194,744.

To 41 whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. LIDBAOK, of

Portland, in the county of- Cumberland and,

State of Maine, have invented a new and use- 5 iul Improvement in Railway-Gates; and I do 10 posts and are operated through the medium of a liquid acting upon a piston'moving in a cylinder and connected to the gate.

Heretofore a vertically-swinging gate has been shown as adapted to be lowered by bydraulic pressure by means of an open cylinder having a piston therein, with a pipe-connection between the piston and the forcing mechanism, the piston being connected to the gate by a pitman. My invention differs from this in having a closed cylinder with the piston contained therein and 7 connections from the forcing mechanisms communicating with the cylinder above and below the piston, whereby the gate may be raised and lowered positively As my cylinder is closed at both ends, I cannot have a pivoted piston-rod or pitman, as in the construction referred to, in order to permit necessary movement thereof in the raising and lowering of the 0 gate, so I pivot my'cylinder within the post and connect the piston-rod directly to the gatearm, and the movement of the gate-bar rocks the cylinder back and forth upon its pivots. In order to introduce the liquid by which the piston'is moved, conducting-passages are made through the trunnions of the cylinder, and are extended to enter-into the cylinder at both ends above and below the piston. I have further sought to improve the details of construction of the apparatus forforcing the liquid by which the piston within the gate-post is operated. All the details of construction whereby these objects are secured are explained fully hereinafter, and are illustrated in the accompany- 5 ing drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the gate-post in front elevation, with a part of the casing broken away to show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the Fig. 4 is a section of the same, taken across the (No model.)

drawings. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the 11ydraulic rams and the mechanism for operating them. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same.

In the drawings the swinging bar which constitutes the gate or obstruction to the railway is shown at L. of the two parts Land L, converging and joined together at their upper ends, so as to form a single bar in the usual manner. The

I bar is fixed to the shaft M, which turns on one side of a hollow post, A, set in a suitable position by the side of the railway and the street or highway which crosses the railway. Midway of the length of this shaft is set thereon a fixed arm, I ,*which extends into the' space of the interiorof the post, and has room therein to swing suffi'ciently to allow the gate to rise and fall through the arc of its movement. Connected to the free end of this arm is the piston-rod k of the piston O in the cylinder B. Thisvcylinder is pivoted upon trunnions on its lower end, working in bearings, in the lower part of the cavity of the post, these hearings being in line parallel with that of the shaft on which the gate turns. The cylinder and piston are designed to be operated by a liquid, either water or some practically incongealable liquid. The pivot allows the cylinder to oscillate with the movement of the arm I as the gateis raised and lowered. The liquid is introduced into the cylinder below the piston O by a pipe, G, which communicates with a port, 9, formed on the trunnion on one side and leading to-the interior through the lower cylinder head. Liquid communication with the other end of the cylinder is through a pipe, G, which arrangement of these pipes is shown more clearly in Figs; 3 and 5. 1t will be observed that when the force of liquid is applied to the upper side of the piston it draws down the arm Iand raises the gate; but when the force is applied below it raises the arm I and lowers the gate. These operations are rendered easy by counter-balance Q on the rear end of the gate.

The apparatus for transmitting motion by pressure upon the liquid medium is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6 are shown four cylinders. adapted to operate four gates at the same time, or two and two together. The cyl- The said bar is formed ICO reverse movement of the piston 2.

inders P are .in line fixed underneath the bedplate U. Standards T, set on this plate, support theshaft on which are the pinions X, by which the pistons are operated. One of the pistonsis shown Fig. 7 at 2.- The others are the same.' These pistons are connected to pistonrods passing through stuffing-boxes 9. On the upper ends of these stuffing-boxes are rackbars WV, which gear into pinions X. The two right-hand pinions X X of Fig. 6 are of the same sleeve, and move together and are held to the shaft by a clutch, 2, so that the pistons may be operated in pairs or all four together, atthe will'of the operator. The shaft carries on its outer end a gear-wheel, c, fixed thereto, which is operated by the pinion d and crank e. By turning this crank the pistons may be raised orlowered, and the liquid medium be forced down or up. The cylinders Pare connected to the cylinders in the post by the pipes G G. The pipe G is connected to the lower part of the cylinder P at R, and the pipe G is connected to the same cylinder above the piston at'r. Therefore when the pistons 2 are de pressed the piston O is forced up and the gate is lowered. It will be observed that by the described arrangement of I the pipes the liquid is keptin readiness for .action, for when the liquid is forced in below the piston 0 it forces the liquid above it into the pipe G, which is in communication with the upper 'part of the cylinder P, where a vacuum is being created, so that the liquid from the upper part'of the chamber B is transferred to the upper part of the chamber P, and the reverse takes place by The pairs of cylinders Pare connected to the posts on the same side of the railway, so that the gates on one side of the railway may be operated independently of those on the other. Manifestly, on narrow roads where only one gate is used the cylinders will be used singly, instead of in pairs, and onlytwo would be required for the transmission of the power applied to the cranks.

It will be understood that the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be set at any desired distance from the gate, the pipes being led to the cylinders P from thecylinders in the gate-posts, and the stations may be at such point that the attendant can readily observe the approach of trains, and thus may be enabled to act intelligently in raising and lowering the gates.

The gates are to be arranged in the same manner as such gates are ordinarily arrangeda pair on each side of the railway, each pair facing each other and adapted to descend and to obstruct the roadway. A cylinderis placed in each post, and the pipes G G of the gates on one side of the railway extend to a pair of cylinders-P P, whose pistons are connected to the gears and operate together, sothat the gates upon one side may be operated independently of the others, as heretofore ex- :plained. The gate-posts have openings in one plane, a closed liquid-cylinder pivoted within the hollow post, having its piston connected to an arm rigidly connected with the gate,- and pipes leading into the cylinder above and below the piston, said pipes being connected with a suitable forcing mechanism, whereby the gate is operated positively both in raising and lowering, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a gate pivoted upon a hollow post to swing in vertical plane, a closed liquid-cylinder pivoted within the hollow post to swing in a plane parallel with that of the gate, and having its piston-rod attached to an arm connected rigidly with the gate,and passages for the liquid communicating with the interior of the cylinder above and below the piston,and connected also with mechanism for forcing the liquid and operating the gate, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a Vertically-swinging gate pivoted upon a hollow post, a closed cylinder pivoted within the hollow post to swing in a plane parallel with that of the gate, provided with passages through. its trunnions,and having its piston-rod attached to an arm rigidly connected to the gate, and suitable pipes connecting the interior 'of the cylinder above and below the piston with suitable forcing mechanism, all substantially as described.

4.. In combination with pivoted gates adapted to be operated by hydraulic power, closed cylinders pivoted to swing within hollow posts provided with operating-pistons and inlet and exit passages, and a forcing mechanism consisting of a main shaft, pinions mounted thereon,.and the toothed piston-rods, substantially as described.

5. In combination with pivoted gates adapted to be operated by hydraulic power, closed cylinders piyoted to swing within hollow posts provided with operating-pistons andi'nle't and exit passages, a forcing mechanism consisting of a main shaft, collars mounted thereon carrying pinions, and toothed piston-rods, and clutch mechanism, whereby the gates may be operated in pairs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN A. LIDBACK. Witnesses: v

CHARLES H. TOLMAN, CHAS. DUNN, Jr.

ITS 

